Where everyday Christians engage the culture every day.

"According to Townhall.com, a teacher at West Point High School in Virginia was fired just last Thursday over his religious objections to using male pronouns when referring to a student who is biologically female but identifies as male.

The West Point School Board unanimously voted 5-0 to dismiss 47-year-old French teacher Peter Vlaming following a four-hour hearing.

Vlaming cited his Christian faith and told his superiors that he was willing to use the student's name and simply avoid using feminine pronouns but he says the school rejected that compromise.

Showing aggression toward the religious rights and freedoms of Mr. Vlaming, school superintendent Laura Able and the school board accused Mr. Vlaming of creating a "hostile learning environment" by simply using the proper pronouns for the student based on her biological sex. The school clearly has a double standard since it has no policy regarding the use of gender pronouns for students, but its hiring policy specifically states it does not discriminate against teachers based on their religious beliefs.

Many parents and students support Vlaming, with over 100 students walking out of class the next day to protest the unfair actions of the board."

"1MM is outraged by Netflix’s new Italian drama “Baby” that promotes and glorifies sex trafficking of vulnerable minors.

The series, which premiered Friday morning, tells the story of two teen girls from a wealthy part of Rome who are fed up with their families and classmates and are drawn to the city’s dark underworld.

The six-part series has a TV-MA rating. The show “Baby” is loosely based on real events from 2014, the so-called “Baby Squillo” scandal, that involved two high school girls from Rome’s ritzy Parioli district selling sex in order to buy designer clothes and electronic gadgets. Five people, including one mother and both young women, were arrested at the time.

In the real-life Italian scandal that “Baby” is based on, the girls were 14 and 15 years old, being bought by older wealthy men, and the mother of one of the teenagers was arrested for helping pimp them out. This was sexual exploitation and manipulation at its worst.

"Enough is Enough (EIE) is calling on the University of Notre Dame to heed the call of students demanding the University filter its public WiFi from pornographic content. In October 2018, EIE began communications with Notre Dame student Jim Martinson who spearheaded a campus-wide petition, along with 80 other male students, to stop the free access of pornography on the University’s public WiFi. To date, more than 1,000 students have signed the petition; however, no action has taken place to accommodate the request. EIE has since launched its own petition for concerned citizens to echo the plea directed to University officials saying “No Free Porn on Campus WiFi!”

“We are proud of Notre Dame’s students – both male and female – who are boldly calling for a filtering solution on university-funded public WiFi. Students imploring the Catholic universities’ leadership in an appeal for safe and secure WiFi sends a loud and clear message, one that must be heard and acted upon. These courageous students want and deserve the protection of those entrusted with their physical, spiritual and mental well-being,” said Donna Rice Hughes, EIE’s President and CEO, whose organization launched the National Safe WiFi Campaign in 2014 calling on Corporate America and educational institutions to voluntarily filter pornography and child pornography from public WiFi."

"Incredibly, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has imposed a new 21 percent tax on churches and faith-based organizations for items such as the parking spaces charity employees use while working to serve the needy.

The ill-considered impact of this new tax on churches and charities results in this sad cycle:

To pay the new taxes, charities must divert donation dollars intended for the needy and give those donations instead to the federal government.

This diversion of donations to the government forces charities to cut back on their services, and the needy suffer the loss.

The government must make up for the suffering it created, by funding new government services to the needy -- services previously provided efficiently and effectively by community-based and faith-based charities.

This cycle makes no sense. Tell your senators not to tax charity, but to support charity--by repealing this senseless tax.

Today's action is a little different, but will still only take about five minutes to complete. It comes courtesy of the Discovery Institute.

"Academic freedom in science, for researchers and for students as well, stands out as a problem that is important yet strangely neglected. Think about it: On campuses, asking tough questions about a scientific subject is discouraged, sometimes punished. When it comes to evolution, intellectual intimidation is rife. This is something that people across the political spectrum should find disturbing. Yet from otherwise very impassioned and articulate commentators, the silence on the subject is remarkable. Truly, it’s a scandal."

Please contact your state Representative and Senator and urge them to sponsor a resolution which would encourage academic freedom for university students.

You can do this in two steps. First go to www.openstates.orgto enter your address and discover who your state Representative and Senator are. Then click on the name of each and you will be directed to a page with his/her email address. Click on that email address to create an email.

In your email, include the link below to the NEW model legislative resolution.

Today's action comes from The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition an CitizenGo:

"Canada legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide in June 2016 under the term Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). The law states that MAID can be done when it is approved by two doctors or nurse practitioners when the person fulfills all of the following conditions:

is at least 18 years old,

has a serious and incurable illness, disease or disability,

has an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability,

has enduring physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable, and

their natural death is "reasonably foreseeable" (undefined).

In December 2016, the federal government asked the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) to research and provide recommendations concerning the expansion of euthanasia to mature minors (child euthanasia), people who are incompetent but have made an advance request, and for psychological suffering alone.

In September 2018, the Journal of Medical Ethics published a paper titled, “Medical Assistance in Dying at a paediatric hospital.” This paper concerns a proposed policy for implementing euthanasia for children that was developed by a committee at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The paper states that it, "...is intended as a road map through the still-emerging legal and ethical landscape of paediatric MAID."

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is concerned that The Hospital for Sick Children published their proposed policy on child euthanasia to influence the deliberations of the CCA who are releasing their reports in December 2018.

The EPC opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide and we are concerned that Canada may decide to extend euthanasia (MAID) regulations to include children. "

Please check with your state chapter of National Right to Life, to see how you can help protect unborn children in our state. From the home page of your state's chapter, look for a tab called "Legislation," "Advocacy," "Get Involved," "Projects," or words to that effect. Please take a simple action that is being encouraged, such as writing a quick letter to your state legislator.

"Today, please join me, Ed Stetzer, and thousands of Christians in petitioning President Trump to grant asylum to Asia Bibi and her family."On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, reports surfaced that Islamic radicals in Pakistan were “hunting house to house” for Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi.

A few countries, including Canada and Australia, seem to be working with Pakistan to grant her asylum, but so far the United States has remained silent.

This should . . . not . . . be."

Here is the sample letter provide by Roberto Rivera of the Colson Center:

As you undoubtedly know, on October 31, a Pakistani woman named Asia Noreen, better known as “Asia Bibi,” was found not guilty of blasphemy, which is punishable by death in Pakistan, by that country’s Supreme Court.

The ruling ended a nine-year legal battle for a woman whose only “offense” was being, along with her family, the only Christians in her village.

While Asia Bibi is no longer in legal jeopardy, she is still in great danger. As you also know, Islamists in Pakistan were outraged by the verdict. Prominent Islamist leaders threatened the Supreme Court with death — no small threat in a country where the two politicians who spoke out on Asia Bibi’s behalf were assassinated.

And, of course, they have vowed to obtain extrajudicially what they couldn’t obtain through the courts: Asia Bibi’s death.Noreen and her family are trapped in a nation filled with people who would gladly kill her. She is being “guarded” by security services whose Islamist sympathies are well-documented. And, as the Guardian rightly put it, newly elected prime minister Imran Khan is playing a dangerous game with regards to her safety: defending the Supreme Court while appeasing extremists by also defending the blasphemy law.

The sooner Asia Bibi and her family are out of Pakistan the better.

And that brings me to my purpose for my writing you. While the Netherlands, Britain, and Canada have all been mentioned as possible destinations for the Noreen family, the UNited States has been conspicuous by its absence in these reports.

The United States is without question the safest place of refuge for Asia Bibi and her family. We have a 230-plus year commitment to religious freedom and tolerance. That the United States isn’t being mentioned as her ultimate destination is a betrayal of those principles and an abdication of our responsibilities.

I urge you to do whatever is in your power to change this. To have Asia Bibi still in danger after her legal ordeal because we weren’t willing to “step up” and back up our words with our deeds would leave an indelible stain on our national honor.

"Asia Bibi was finally acquitted in Pakistan after over eight years of court proceedings. She has been in prison since June 16, 2009, accused of the crime of breaking a Sharia-based blasphemy law. Her Muslim co-workers, who reproached her for being a Christian, brought the accusation after an argument over a drinking vessel.Her family has been informed that, in recent months, her physical condition has gotten worst during her stay in Multan prison.

However, although she has been acquitted, her problems are not over.

Her acquittal has provoked a wave of violence throughout Pakistan that has already left several dead. Asia Bibi's lawyer has had to flee the country in order not to be killed. The situation is more delicate than ever.

We at CitizenGO wish to help take Asia Bibi and her family out of the country and give them a better life. However, they are now prohibited from leaving Pakistan, and her court case might be reviewed.

That is why we are asking the Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, to intercede as soon as possible so that this Christian woman and her family can leave, and that the necessary security measures will be taken to keep them alive."

On the first weekday of each month Engage Daily provides doable tips for evangelism. This month's post comes from Chuck Lawless, professor of Evangelism and Missions at Southeastern Seminary:

"The Christmas season is a time to focus on the truth of Christ’s coming to earth. What so often happens, though, is that the message gets lost in the busyness of the season. Consequently, we miss opportunities to evangelize during a time when some folks are actually thinking about spiritual matters. Here are some ways to do evangelism during this busy season."

"Olga Sánchez Cordero, Mexico’s next Minister of Interior, presented in the Senate a reform that allows for surrogacy to flourish nationwide. This initiative has already been sent to Senate committees for its discussion and approval, so we are mobilizing to gather signatures supporting its withdrawal.

We are also asking Sánchez Cordero to set up a meeting with us in order to present to her our arguments against surrogacy, which include the following: it represents a human rights violation as well as an attack on women’s dignity; it allows for the trade of infants; and legitimizes the idea that having biological children is a right that has to be guaranteed at the expense of Mexico’s poorest women.

"Stand up for Christians and other religious minorities in Africa and Asia facing persecution. Stand together with healthcare workers in Europe who seek to act according to their conscience. Help us defend the most vulnerable in society, whose right to life is being threatened around the world.

This December we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But many rights have been limited, neglected, or distorted.We ask you to sign your support for The Geneva Statement, which will be delivered to the United Nations in the run-up to the anniversary: 'We urge all nations to uphold the fundamental right to life, family, and religious freedom, as recognized by the Universal Declaration.'The UN and its member states have not done enough to protect these fundamental rights. We want to make sure that your voice for the voiceless is being heard at the highest levels. Make your voice heard today and sign the Statement - for the persecuted and the neglected; for inherent human dignity and for fundamental freedoms."

"Christian Pastor John Cao – a U.S. permanent resident – has been wrongfully convicted and sentenced in China.After decades working in China and Burma (Myanmar), providing for the poor, sharing the love of Christ, and establishing schools for impoverished children, Pastor John was arrested and imprisoned by Chinese authorities as part of their increased crackdown on Christian pastors.

Pastor John’s wife and 2 sons (all U.S. citizens from North Carolina) desperately want their father released and returned home to America.

Pastor John has been unjustly targeted for his Christian faith and sentenced to seven years in prison.

He’s been imprisoned since March 2017. His health is deteriorating, and he’s lost over 50 pounds. He’s forced to share a cell with a dozen inmates and only 1 bed.

We're representing Pastor John's family, aggressively working internationally for his ultimate freedom. We’ve mobilized our resources across the globe and are urging China to release Pastor John and allow him to come home to the United States to be reunited with his wife and kids."

"Apparently, Starbucks cares more about providing paper straws to protect the environment than protecting kids and patrons on its public WiFi! Starbucks broke its promise to filter pornography and child sex abuse images, despite its public announcement it would voluntarily provide safe WiFi in its restaurants nationwide…an announcement more than 2 and-a-half years ago!

By breaking its commitment Starbucks is keeping the doors wide open for convicted sex offenders and patrons to fly under the radar from law enforcement and use free, public WiFi services to view or distribute graphics or obscene pornography, child pornography (an illegal crime), or engage in sexual predation activity.

A Starbucks’ representative told CNN in 2016: “We are in the process of evaluating a global protocol to address this in all of our company-owned stores, and are in active discussions with organizations on implementing the right, broad-based solution that would remove any illegal and other egregious content.”

Following that statement, EIE launched a national campaign applauding Starbucks for its display of corporate responsibility, thereby joining other national giants such as McDonalds and Chick-Fil-a, who already have taken direct measures to protect its patrons from dangerous content. To date, no action has taken place to suggest Starbucks has moved forward with its public commitment.

EIE is once again calling on all concerned to sign our new petition calling on Starbucks to follow through on its promise to filter."

"The Orange Letter Campaign has been a cornerstone of Engage Magazine since 2016. It all began on February 15, 2015, when ISIS released a video of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in orange jumpsuits being martyred on a Libyan beach. Gripped by the reality of persecution that Christians face all around the world, Engage launched the Orange Letter Campaign, asking for letters of encouragement and prayer to send to these Christians suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ.

For the next week, November 26 – 30, Engage Magazine is partnering with Uncharted Ministries to reach out to persecuted Christian widows in Nigeria. The Fulani Herdsmen, a Muslim terrorist group, has ravaged their land, burning churches and villages to the ground, kidnapping women and girls, and leaving many without husbands. The Nigerian widow situation is one of the most severe examples of Christian persecution in the world today.

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). We want to invite you to join us in solidarity with these women, our sisters in Christ, and let them know they are neither forgotten nor alone.

We are asking for letters filled with Scripture, prayer, and encouragement. If you would like to write a letter but do not know what to say, pray and spend time in your Bible. More than anything, these women need the Word of God to speak to their hearts.

To send your letter, simply email it to orange@afa.net and it will be delivered.

Today's action is to check in with your state's affiliate of the Family Policy Alliance:

"Our vision is a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished. Our mission is to advance biblical citizenship, equip statesmen, promote policy and serve an effective alliance, all committed to a common vision."

Check in with your state's family policy council and take whatever quick action they are encouraging, such as sending a prepared, auto-routed email to your state Senator and Representative on an important bill they are considering.

From the link below, please go to the website of the Family Policy Alliance ally in your state and find the section labelled "Action Center", "Take Action," "Get Involved" or words to that effect. Please take whatever quick action they are encouraging.

Today's action comes from The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE):

"Wish is a retail shopping website and app regularly used by 500 million people.

The shopping platform, unlike Amazon, was built specifically for smartphones and connects customers directly to Chinese manufacturers who provide “dirt cheap prices, from $7 sweatpants to $15 smartwatches, but also the long delivery times of two to three weeks.” As of November 2018, Wish is the #2 shopping app on iPhones.Unfortunately, Wish’s meteoric rise in the world of retail rests on sex dolls, spycams marketed for filming women nude without their permission, and misogynistic apparel.

"Isabella Chow is a student senator at University of California—Berkeley. She’s been labeled as a “horrible person” and a “mental imbecile” by her peers. Hundreds are petitioning for her to resign from student government or be recalled. Her political party has cut all ties with her. Berkeley’s student newspaper happily published an editorial critical of Isabella—yet refused to publish her defense. Isabella is majoring in business administration and music—yet the school cancelled her piano recital, claiming that everyone was afraid of protesters showing up at the door. Isabella also shared with us that she tries to walk to class or other campus appointments with friends because of the protests against her.

Why? What did Isabella do that was so terrible to warrant such contempt from the entire Berkeley system?

She lovingly shared her faith.

At the behest of the Queer Alliance Resource Center, UC Berkeley’s 20-member student senate passed a Resolution condemning the Trump Administration for working to define “sex” in federal law as a person’s biological sex—which would fix the Obama Administration’s unlawful decision to define “sex” in the law as including “gender identity.” The Berkeley student senate believes the Trump Administration is “discriminating” against people who identify as transgender. On October 31, the Resolution passed with 18 yay votes, 1 absence, and 1 abstention.

The abstaining vote was cast by Isabella Chow.

As she cast her abstention, Isabella read a beautifully written statement sharing the love of Christ with everyone listening and the priceless value of each individual, particularly those in the LGBT community. Isabella poignantly condemned hate, bigotry, and bullies. At the same time, she stood firmly, yet compassionately, for truth saying, “I cannot vote for this bill without compromising my values. . . I believe that God created male and female at the beginning of time, and designed sex for marriage between one man and one woman.” She went on to say it was not love to silently concur with the choices of others that she believed with all her heart were harmful."

"We realize that a great many American shoppers will begin shopping for Christmas this week and especially immediately after Thanksgiving.

Here are three convincing reasons you shouldn't shop Target this Christmas:

Sexual PredatorsDespite Target's denial that men entering women's rooms is a problem, the reality remains that it is a major problem. We have the proof.

On October 16, a mother and her children went to a Target in Woburn, Massachusetts, to do some shopping. While inside the store, a man followed the mother's 10-year-old daughter into the women's restroom and offered her candy, commented on her clothing, and reportedly tried to get into the stall that the little girl was using.

Target is hoping you don't careTarget is hoping you won't care that they allow men into women's bathrooms and changing rooms and will do your Christmas shopping with them. AFA knows that you do care.

Stay the course with usAny company as large as Target can withstand a short-term loss of sales. That's where Christmas shoppers come in. Target is banking on this Christmas season to turn a huge profit for 2018.

Let's hold firm to our conviction that men have no place in women's restrooms and dressing rooms and continue our pledge to boycott Target stores, especially through the Christmas shopping season.

With Target hoping you'll do your Christmas shopping with them, send them the strongest possible message you can and let Target know, "Don't Count On Me!"

"The game has changed. The landscape of influencing Congress is evolving and as advocates with a message that impacts millions lives around the world, we must adapt our tactics to make sure we’re heard.

According to the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), Congressional offices have seen significant increases in constituent communications in recent years. From 2000 to 2010, constituent messages to Congress increased by 2,000 percent."

Please check with your state chapter of National Right to Life, to see how you can help protect unborn children in our state. From the home page of your state's chapter, look for a tab called "Legislation," "Advocacy," "Get Involved," "Projects," or words to that effect. Please take a simple action that is being encouraged, such as writing a quick letter to your state legislator.

Today's action comes from The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE):

"Federal law prohibits distribution of obscene adult pornography on the Internet, on cable/satellite TV, on hotel/motel TV, in retail shops, through the mail, and by common carrier. The U.S. Supreme Court has also repeatedly upheld obscenity laws against First Amendment challenges, explaining that obscenity is not protected speech.

Even so, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has not enforced existing federal obscenity laws since 2008. Sign a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking him to enforce federal obscenity law."